Weight Loss – What Works Better: Power vs. Willpower

I had friends over yesterday, and we were serving guacamole and a few other assorted foods. One friend blurted out that he was “watching himself” and rubbed his stomach — he looked like he was at a good weight. I thought it was interesting and considered his proclamation – and his willpower.

If you do some investigation into the word willpower, you’ll see that its meaning is more or less about self-control. So the question is do you need self-control to lose weight and get in shape?

Honestly, are you fond of dramatically stomping your foot on the kitchen floor saying, “This is the last time! This is the last summer that I’m going to be fat. I will lose the weight! I’m going to empty the refrigerator, clean out my cupboards, and never, ever eat junk food again?” The truth is that more often than not, this approach is both severely unpleasant and a big waste of energy.

Do you really believe that all you need is good healthy dose of drawing the line in the sand to break the patterns you’ve been living by? Look, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that there isn’t some self-control or willpower involved in weight control, but it’s significantly less than you think.

Seriously. Weight loss is more about power, than willpower. You need to give yourself the power to lose weight. The point is not to get discouraged because you think you lack the willpower or discipline to lose weight — that’s not what’s going to get you through this process. That’s not what’s going to help you lose and keep the weight off.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charles Platkin, PhD

Charles Platkin, PhD, MPH, The Diet Detective, is one of the country's leading nutrition and public health advocates, whose syndicated health, nutrition and fitness column, the Diet Detective appears in more...read more